Which duo would you prefer?

D'brick/Manny Lawson

Mario Williams/Eric Winston

There seems to be some different opinions on which LT/DE would be best for the team so let's just see what the public thinks. Assuming both scenarios were possible would you rather see D'Brick/Manny Lawson as Texans or Mario Williams/Eric Winston.

D'brick is far superior to Winston, and fits our blocking scheme better.
Lawson is more athletic than Mario, but is just not as big. Both will be studs. I am predicting now that Lawson gets more sacks if he plays DE than Mario. Lawson is still like 6'5 255 or so. Say he gains 8 lbs of muscle. He is now at 263, that is good for a DE. He is the weakside DE who gets to the QB.

I picked Fegurson/Lawson. Fegurson is a great LT and the best out there as we all no. WInston also has some ankle problems with his injuries the past years. Then, you have Mario Williams, the best DE out there. Yes, u would rather take him than lawson buut i was thinking this guy could play LB 4 us. HJe has great speed, gets to the carrier in a heartbeat, and can tackle well. The only, thing we would need to work with him on his coverage at times.

I picked Fegurson/Lawson. Fegurson is a great LT and the best out there as we all no. WInston also has some ankle problems with his injuries the past years. Then, you have Mario Williams, the best DE out there. Yes, u would rather take him than lawson buut i was thinking this guy could play LB 4 us. HJe has great speed, gets to the carrier in a heartbeat, and can tackle well. The only, thing we would need to work with him on his coverage at times.

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NO. I do not want another DE/OLB convert.

Lawson has the size to be a DE with 5-8 pounds of muscle gain. That is not asking a lot.

- Despite playing defensive end at NC State, Mannys shown he has more than enough athleticism to drop back to play linebacker. He may actually be on of the faster LB prospects in the country, which makes the fact that he played DE fairly astounding. Hes an excellent pass rusher, racking up 7 sacks and 12 tackles for loss last year, but is also very good in run support. Also, he has great size for an Outside Linebacker.

Weaknesses

- Hasnt played linebacker since his sophomore year, so theres going to be a natural readjustment period. The first thing that the team that drafts him will have to work on is his coverage skills, because the speed of the game will have changed a great deal from his last LB duty. Plus, he had the benefit of playing across from possibly the best DE in the nation at NC State in Mario Williams, so his numbers may be a little inflated.

Overall Analysis

- The risk/reward value on Manny is one of the highest in the 2006 class. He could never meet his expectations due to the inability to return to the LB position at a high level, or he could turn out to be one of the most dangerous linebackers in the league. Mannys ideal situation would probably be in a 3-4, which would having him standing up, but also allow the freedom to rush the passer very, very often.

Winston does not really fit our scheme. He is not going to be as quick as we need. He would be a RT his first year or two.

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It's likely that any OT we take will be a RT his first year or two. Kubiak might not be willing to put a rookie out there at LT right away. Pitts knows the system, and very well could be the best option at LT until the rookie develops.

I went with the Williams/Winston combo too. Mario Williams would be a great pickup for this defense. It would give us a playmaker at the DE position, and would force opposing coaches to gameplan around him. The difference in talent level between D'Brick & Winston is much less than in Williams & Lawson.

Positives:
A tall, quick pass rusher, Mario Williams has been a starter in Raleigh since his freshman year. He has outstanding speed and long arms to get around the offensive tackle. Williams has amazing athleticism and compares favorably to Julius Peppers, lengthy and fast. He has a quick first step and always seems to find the quarterback. Williams is durable and an NFL ready

Negatives:
Williams understands the game, but is still learning. He needs to improve his defense against the run and not simply focus on pass rushing. Williams sometimes plays too high because of his tall stature, but needs to drive low and get better leverage.

Overview:
Scouts have had their eye on this kid since breaking onto the college scene because of his pure athletic ability. He has natural instincts that help him improve with every game. Has great potential and is still learning some of the true nuances of the game, but would be able to make some waves immediately at the next level.

- Despite playing defensive end at NC State, Mannys shown he has more than enough athleticism to drop back to play linebacker. He may actually be on of the faster LB prospects in the country, which makes the fact that he played DE fairly astounding. Hes an excellent pass rusher, racking up 7 sacks and 12 tackles for loss last year, but is also very good in run support. Also, he has great size for an Outside Linebacker.

Weaknesses

- Hasnt played linebacker since his sophomore year, so theres going to be a natural readjustment period. The first thing that the team that drafts him will have to work on is his coverage skills, because the speed of the game will have changed a great deal from his last LB duty. Plus, he had the benefit of playing across from possibly the best DE in the nation at NC State in Mario Williams, so his numbers may be a little inflated.

Overall Analysis

- The risk/reward value on Manny is one of the highest in the 2006 class. He could never meet his expectations due to the inability to return to the LB position at a high level, or he could turn out to be one of the most dangerous linebackers in the league. Mannys ideal situation would probably be in a 3-4, which would having him standing up, but also allow the freedom to rush the passer very, very often.

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I was under the impression that he was about 255. I am fairly confident that he is not 220. Safties and RB's weigh that much. I think there was a thread on here a few days ago regarding his weight. It showed his size/weight compared to the top DE's in the league. It also included peek and babin for fun.

Positives:
Eric Winston possesses great size and the intelligence to play the offensive tackle position, either on the left or right side. He is an all around athlete with great agility for his tall stature. Winston has great speed and quick feet to keep up with the intense pressure from defenses at the next level.Sponsored Links

Negatives:
Winston tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the fourth game last season against Georgia Tech, but should be fully recovered. Lost a year of experience from the injury.

Overview:
Winston, who has already graduated, was a recruit at TE, but made the transition to offensive tackle before the 2003 season. He didnt play offensive tackle in high school or his freshman year, but he has made an amazing transition to the O-line.

Positives:
D'Brickashaw Ferguson is an absolutely incredible athlete for his position. His technique is strongly reminiscent of Walter Jones in that while he isn't a mauling tackle, his footwork and balance are so good that he keeps his man in front of him and keeps his opponent off balance with his long arms and large hands. Should be an almost unmatched pass-blocker after a few years in the NFL with his technique.

Negatives:
Ferguson is slightly undersized, and there are some concerns that his mobility may suffer if he gets much bigger. His current lack of size also lends concerns to his run-blocking ability at the professional level.

Overview:
Ferguson is one of the strongest, most solid tackles in the nation. He has started every game for the Cavaliers over the past three years, earning All-ACC honors in 2004 and several ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors over the last three years. He was talked about for months as being a potential first-round draft pick in the 2005 NFL draft, but Ferguson elected to stay with Virginia for his senior season.

I was under the impression that he was about 255. I am fairly confident that he is not 220. Safties and RB's weigh that much. I think there was a thread on here a few days ago regarding his weight. It showed his size/weight compared to the top DE's in the league. It also included peek and babin for fun.

To be honest, I'd be excited to get either of these two combinations. The idea of potentially solving our 2 biggest needs (TE being the third issue, but one that can be remedied later in the draft) in one draft would be incredible.

To be honest, I'd be excited to get either of these two combinations. The idea of potentially solving our 2 biggest needs (TE being the third issue, but one that can be remedied later in the draft) in one draft would be incredible.

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I agree but if we end up with Winston and he isn't everything some folks thoughts while D'Brick flourished it would be quite frustrating. I guess I think Ferguson is a safer pick so I would have to lean that way but as long as a trade down occurred I would most likely be pleased. Finding your franchise LT seems a lot tougher than finding a great DE so brick/lawson is for me.

D'brick is far superior to Winston, and fits our blocking scheme better.
Lawson is more athletic than Mario, but is just not as big. Both will be studs. I am predicting now that Lawson gets more sacks if he plays DE than Mario. Lawson is still like 6'5 255 or so. Say he gains 8 lbs of muscle. He is now at 263, that is good for a DE. He is the weakside DE who gets to the QB.